Fastener tape



May 5, 1936. J A o' 2,939,829

FASTENER TAPE Filed Dec 17, 1932 gmentoz WWW attain;

Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENER, TAPE Application December 17, 1932, Serial No. 647,739

7 Claims.

.This invention relates to fastener tape and involves 'an improvement in fastener'tape of the type in which the co-operating elements of fastener devices, such as hooks and eyes, are se- -'5 cured to strips of fabric material in order that'the fastener elements maybe conveniently and easily attached to the adjacent edges of garments or other articles designed to be separably'secured together.

The fastener tape heretofore known and used for. separably securing the edges of garments together has been found to be objectionable by reason of the fact that the free edge of the tape, when secured to the garment, has a tendency to ,fold inwardly beneath the base of the tape, due largely to the movements of the body of the wearer, and .thus permit the operative portions of the fastener devices to come into contact with the body of the wearer of the garment. This objection is particularly noticeable where such fastener tape is employed with a light-weight :material and it is desirable to utilize, in the fastener tape itself, a light-weight material similar to the material of the garment. Where such tape is utilized upon garments that are required to be washed from time to time, the free edge of the'tape does not readily straighten or flatten out 'when dried, but has a tendency to turn under the body of the tape and remain in such condition, thereby exposing the operative portions of the fastener elements for contact with the body of the wearer with the resulting discomforts.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is the provision in a fastener tape of a construction in which the tendency of the edge of the tape to turn inwardly beneath the tape "body and the operative portions of the fastener elements is obviated. A further object of the invention is the provision of a fastener tape in which thebody portion thereof is so constructed as to be retained in its normal, flattened condition. A still further object of the invention is the provision of a fastener tape having the body portion thereof constructed in part of a material which serves to resist deformation of the tape, although sufficiently flexible to-provide all the advantages of fabric fastener tape heretofore known and used. A still further object of the invention is the provision in a fastener tape of cover means for both the operative portions and the inoperative portions of the fastener elements, the cover means being so arranged over the fastener elements as "to give ready access to the operative portions thereof in order that the operative portions of -.co-operating fastener devices may be 'easily brought into engagement therewith.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, reference may be made to the accompanying drawing wherein one form which the :5 invention may take is disclosed, and wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a strip of tape with the improvements embodied therein, and showing parts of' the stitching for securing the cover strips in position omitted and the cover strips turned backto disclose the tape structure;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a plan View, on an-enlarged scale, of a portion of the hair cloth stiffening material.

In making this improved fastener tape a base portion is provided for the fastener elements comprising a strip 8 of hair cloth or other suitable fabric having such characteristics as will prevent deformation of the tape under ordinary use and will tend to preserve the tape in its normal fiat condition. .It is also desirable that thestiffening strip 8 be sufficiently flexible so that it will not interfere with the ordinary purposes for which such tape is utilized. Inasmuch as the primary. purpose of the stiffening strip is to prevent the body of the tape from being folded along lines extending substantially lengthwise of the tape, it will ordinarily suiiice to utilize a fabric therefor in which the threads 9 extending transversely of--. the strip consist of hair or equivalent material while the longitudinal threads III maybe of any suitable material ordinarily employed in the fabrication of hair cloth. A facing strip II of soft fabric is then'placed upon the strip of stiffening-; material 8, preferably with one of its longitudinal edges in registry with one of the longitudinal edges of the strip of stiffening material. Fastener elements, such'as-eyes I2, are then secured upon the exposed face of the strip of fabric, preferably 40 by means of eyelets "I 3 passing through the looped ends I4 of the eyes and through the strip of fabric II and the strip of stiffening material 8. These fastener elements are so arranged that their operative portions extend toward the registering edges of the fabric strip and stiffening material. The fabric strip II is then folded about the opposite edge of the stiffening material, and the free edge portion I5 thereof is turned about the free edge of the narrower fold I6 of the fabric strip. The width of the fabric strip II should be such that the free edge portion I5 may extend over and cover the operative portions H of the fastener elements I2.

Preferably the extreme edge I5 of the wider;

fold N3 of the fabric strip is turned under, or provided with a hem I9 as shown, and the hemmed edge is secured in position on the narrower fold l5 by means of a line of stitching passing through the narrower fold [6 of the fabric, the stiffening material 8 and the wider fold l8 of the fabric.

For the purpose of securing the operative portions I! of the fastener elements l2 to the base of the tape, the line of stitching 20 may be interrupted adjacent these operative portions by means of one or more cross-stitches 2| extending transversely of the folded edge [5 of the facing strip and engaging the operative portions of the fastener elements. By this method of stitching the operative ends of the eyes l2 are securely held in position on the base portion of the tape.

Preferably the transverse stitches 2| on opposite sides of the operative portion I! of each fastener element are connected by the short line of stitching 22 within the eye of the fastener element, thus providing a continuous stitch. This manner of stitching the free edge l5 of the wider fold [8. of the facing strip to the base of the tape not only serves to secure this edge to the base of the tape but also secures the operative portions I! of the fastener elements to the base of the tape to thereby prevent these portions from being separated from the base, and the arrangement of the transverse stitches 2| is such that the hook portions of the co -operating fasten-er elements do not contact with them in such a manner as to sever these stitches when the tape is in use upon a garment.

A strip of cover material 23, preferably similar to the fabric facing material ll heretofore described, is secured to the base portion of the tape by means of a line of stitching 24 extending along one edge thereof over the inoperative portions of the fastener elements I2 and through the narrower fold l6 of the facing, the stiffening material 8, and the wider fold iii of the facing. The stitched edge of this cover strip 23 may be provided with a hem as shown by the drawing. Preferably the edge of this cover strip is spaced from the edge l5 of the facing overlying the operative portions of the fastener elements such a distance as to make the operative portions I! of the fastener elements readily accessible to the hook portions of co-operating hook fastener elements. As will be observed, this manner of stitching the cover strip 23 to the base portion of the tape serves to secure the eyes in position and assists in preventing the operative portions l'l from being bent away from the base portion of the tape.

When fastener tape constructed in the manner hereinbefore described is secured to the edge of a garment or other fabric article by stitching the edge of the garment between the free edge of the cover strip and the base of the tape, the stiffening material utilized therein prevents the free edge of the underlying tape from folding light-weight tape fabric as heretofore used with light-weight garment material. It will also be noted that the manner in which the operative portions of the fastener elements are secured to the base of the tape tends to prevent the free edge of the tape from being deformed or turned under to expose these portions of the fastener elements. It will be noted further that the construction described herein provides a tape in which both the operative portions of the fastener elements and the inoperative portions thereof are substantially concealed by the two cover strips, the opposing edges of these two cover strips being spaced from each other to such extent only as to permit the co-operating portions of the fastener elements to be engaged and disengaged from each other.

While reference has been made particularly to the use of hair cloth as a stiffening material, it will be understood that other material may be employed for this purpose so long as it serves to prevent deformation of the tape and is sufficiently pliable and flexible for the purpose. The invention has been disclosed in connection with a particular tape formation whereby the fabric forming the facing portions for the base of the tape is completely folded about the stiffening material so as to constitute a surrounding casing therefor. It will be understood; however, that the invention is intended to comprehend a tape structure embodying stiffening material irrespective of the particular arrangement of the facing fabric, it being desirable however that the stiffening strip be faced on opposite sides by a fabric of soft material such as will not be uncomfortable to the wearer from contact therewith.

In some cases, for example, it may be desirable to provide a facing strip on one side only of the stiffening strip. When constructed in this manner the cover strips for the fastener elements may readily be so arranged as to serve as the facing for the adjacent face of the stiffening material. In the form of the invention shown by the accompanyingdrawing, the fastener elements aresecured to one of the facing strips as well as to the stiffening strip. It will be readily understood, however, that the fastener elements may be secured to one of the facing strips alone if' desired, or even to the stiffening material alone. Where these elements are secured to one of the facing strips alone, either by means of eyelets or in any other suitable manner, it is preferable to secure this facing strip to the stiffening material by means of one or more lines of stitching, one of which may be arranged to pass over the fastener elements in a manner similar to the line of stitching 24 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Although the improvement has been described as applied to eye fastener tape, it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to hook tape, and the claims are intended to be so interpreted unless otherwise limited.

The invention having thus been described what is desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A fastener tape comprising a strip of fabric folded upon itself along a line extending longitudinally of the strip nearer to one edge than to the other to provide two overlying folds, a separate stiffening strip of shape-preserving fabric located between said folds, fastener elements on the outer face of the. narrower of said folds and secured to the narrower fold and said stiffening strip with the operative portions thereof extending toward and spaced from the free edge of the narrower fold, the edge of the wider of said folds being folded about the edge of the narrower fold and secured to said stiffening strip and the narrower fold, over the operative portions of said fastener elements.

2. A fastener tape comprising a strip of fabric folded upon itself along a line extending longitudinally of the strip nearer to one edge than to the other to provide two overlying folds, a stiffening strip of hair cloth located between said overlying folds, fastener elements on the outer face of the narrower of said folds and secured to the narrower fold and the stiffening strip with the operative portions thereof extending toward the edge of the narrower fold, the edge portion of the wider fold being folded about the edge of the narrower fold over the operative portions of said fastener elements, a line of stitching securing said edge portion to said overlying folds and said stifiening strip, and a cover strip secured over the inoperative portions of said fasteners.

3. A fastener tape comprising a fabric base portion, fastener elements secured thereon with their operative portions extending toward one edge thereof, a cover strip secured to the base portion with one edge extending over the operative portions of said fastener elements, and a separate cover strip secured to the base portion over the inoperative portions of the fastener elements and spaced from the. first mentioned cover strip to provide access to the operative portions of said fasteners.

4. A fastener tape comprising a fabric base portion, fastener elements secured thereon with their operative portions extending toward one edge thereof, a cover strip having one edge extending over the operative portions of said fastener elements, a line of stitching securing said cover strip and the operative portions of said fastener elements to said base portion, a second cover strip for the inoperative portions of said fastener elements and spaced from the first cover strip to provide access tothe operative portions of said fastener elements, and a line of stitching extending over said fastener elements and securing the. second cover strip to the base portion.

5. A separable fastener comprising two strips, each adapted to be attached along one longitudinal edge to separable edges of a garment for overlapping each other and for connecting the garment edges together, the underlying strip of each pair of strips comprising a longitudinally folded piece of fabric and an inner longitudinally springy strip of material enclosed in and connected to said folded fabric strip, fastening devices secured to said underlying strip between its longitudinal edges, the portion of the last mentioned strip underlying the fastening devices constituting an apron, and the overlying strip also carrying fastening devices for engaging the fastening devices of the underlying strip, the enclosed springy material extending transversely beneath the fastening devices to the free edge of the apron portion of the underlying strip and providing with the fabric of the strip a longitudinally bendable self-straightening construction between the connected fastening devices and the body of the wearer.

6. A separable fastener comprising two strips, each adapted to be attached along one. longitudinal edge to separable edges of a garment for overlapping each other and for connecting the garment edges together, the underlying strip of said pair of strips having a longitudinally springy self-straightening apron portion and fastening devices secured to said strip to overlie said apron portion, and the overlying strip also carrying fastening devices for engaging the fastening devices of the underlying strip, the apron portion having the quality of automatically resuming its normal fiat form beneath the fastening devices after it has been distorted.

'7. In a separable fastener comprising two strips each adapted to be attached along one longitudinal edge to separable edges of a garment for over lapping each other and for connecting the garment edges together, the underlying strip of each pair of strips comprising a longitudinally folded piece of fabric and a longitudinally springy member enclosed in and connected to said folded fabric strip, fastening devices secured to said underlying strip between its longitudinal edges, and the enclosed longitudinally springy member extending transversely beneath the fastening devices to the free edge of the underlying strip and constituting an apron or flap having the quality of automatically resuming its normal flat form after it has been distorted.

JAMES A. OBRIEN.

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